Jack.



M. H. COLLINS.

JACK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. I916.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

WITNESSES rm: NORRIS PETERS gm, PNaYD-LII ATTORNEY MICHAEL H. COLLINS, 0F TIFFIN, OHIO.

JAcK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed June 28, 1916. Serial No. 106,432.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. COLLINS, 51L: pfiitizen of the United States, residing at 1 Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Jacks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to jacks, and particularly to supporting devices for motorvehicles to hold the latter spaced above the ground or floor when not in use.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a device of this character which is of inexpensive and simple construction, which is composed of but few durable and readily assembled parts, and which is capable of being operated by momentum of the vehicle to elevate the latter above the ground.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for this purpose which embodies a bed and a supporting frame, an improved automatic stopping mechanism for the superposed frame, and improved means for shifting the said frame automatically to release or land the vehicle upon its wheels when it is desired to remove the same.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description continues, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a jack constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating the parts in the position they would assume when supporting a vehicle,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device in the position shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and illustrating the positions of the parts ready to receive a vehicle, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the device showing the first movement of the sliding frame when the vehicle engages the same.

11, in the countv of Seneca and State of- Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 5 indicates the stationary or bed frame of the device, while 6 represents the sliding or movable frame. These frames are substantially identical in shape, size, and construction, are of a length greater than that of the vehicle with which the device is to be used, and are in width narrower than the vehicle itself. The bed and movable frames are composed of relatively heavy side members or timbers, connected at their extremities and at their intermediate points by transverse bars or beams 8.

The bed frame has its longitudinal or side members provided with spaced laterally alined notch portions 9, the said notches being limited atone extremity by abrupt walls 10, while the bottom portions of the notches incline upwardly from their juncture with said abrupt walls to the upper faces of the side beams of the frame 5.

The sliding or superposed frame 6 has its side bars provided in their under faces with notches 11 and 12, the notches 11 being termed theforward notches, while those indicated at 12 are the rear notches. The notches 11 correspond in shape and size with those 9 of the bed frame, while the notches 12 are elongated and provide a bottom portion parallel with the upper and lower faces of the frame bars. The extremities of the notches 12 are provided with inclined walls 13, the latter extending to the lowermost face of the frame rails. The notches in the bed and sliding frames 5 and 6 are so arranged that when the notches 11 are directly above the notches 9 at the forward end of the bed frame, the forward extremities of the elongated notches 12 will be directly above the rearward notches 9 in the said bed frame. When thus arranged, rollers 14 are inserted through the alined notched portions. These rollers are of adiameter to snugly fit within the registering notches, and should the frame 6 be forced forwardly, the foremost of the rollers 14 will be rolled from within the notches and out upon the upper surfaces of the side rails of the bed frame 5. Owing to the fact, that the notches 12 at the rear end i rollers lying beneath the same will remain within the notched portions 9 at the rear end of the bed frame until the rearmost of the inclined walls 13 of the said elongated notches engages the said roller. Until this time, the superposed frame travels forwardl y at an inclined plane, but immediately upon the said walls 13 engaging the rearmost rollers, the said rollers will be forced from the notches 9 up the inclined walls thereof and onto the upper face of the side members of the bed frame 5. Upon this latter happening, the sliding frame is then spaced above the bed frame a distance equal to the diameters of the rollers 14;. r

The thickness of the frames 5 and 6 when in the position shown in Fig. 3, or with their upper and lower faces respectively engaging, is a trifle less than the distance from the ground to the axles of a motor vehicle, whereby the vehicle may span the same without engaging the top frame. A sto p or abutment 15 is arranged upon the slidlng frame projecting upwardly from the latter adjacent its forward edge, and lies in the path of and is adapted to be contacted by the front axle of the vehicle as the latter travels over the said frame. Immediately upon forward movement being delivered to the frame 6 by engagement of the front axle of the vehicle with the stop 15, the said sliding frame is moved forwardly and upwardly upon the forward rollers 1A. As the sliding frame rolls the foremost rollers from the notches 9 and 11, the front axle of the vehicle is engaged by the sliding frame and lifted a distance sufficient to raise the front wheels carried thereby from the ground. As the sliding frame continues to advance, the rear end of the same moves the rearmost roller out of the notches 9 in the bed frame and onto the upper face of the bed frame, whereupon the rear end of the sliding frame engages and lifts the rear axle of the vehicle a distance sufficient to clear the wheels carried thereby from the ground.

A spring 16 connects the central transverse bar 8 of the bed frame with the foremost bar 8 of the sliding frame through the medium of a chain 17. The spring 17 is made tense when the sliding frame has been moved forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The sliding frame carries at its foremost end a laterally projecting member 18, which is adapted to snap over a spring lever 19 arranged at the forward end of the bed frame 5. This arrangement provides an automatic stop or holding device to prevent the sliding frame moving rearwardly under the impulse of the contractile spring 16. hen it is desired to remove the vehicle from the jack, it is but necessary to withdraw the spring lever 19 from engagement with the stop 18, the contractile spring delivering pull to the chain 17 and sliding the upper frame 6 rearwardly upon the rollers 14 until the latter enter the notches 9.

From this construction it is seen that I have provided an extremely simple and yet thoroughly efficient jacking or raising mechanism for supporting motor vehicles when not in use. The vehicle is steered over to straddle or span the frames under its own motive power. As soon as the forward axle engages the sto 3 15, the sliding frame moves upon the bed "rame in the above described manner to raise the vehicle with its tires free from the ground.

Vhile the above is a description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that various changes in the minor details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit'of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is I 1. Ina jack for vehicles, a pair of superposed frames of equal width and each having longitudinally disposed side rails, the upper faces of the side rails of the bottom frame being provided with spaced notches having one abrupt wall and one inclined wall, the said inclined wall slanting upwardly to the upper surfaces of said rails, the lower faces of the rails of the upper frame at one end being provided with notches each having an abrupt and an inclined wall, the said inclined walls of the notches in said upper rails being disposed opposite to the corresponding walls of the notches in said lower rails, the under faces of the rails of the upper frame being provided adjacent their opposite ends with elongated notches having their bottom walls parallel with the edges of the rails and the said notches being equal in depth to the other notches, rollers in the notches in said lower rails substantially equal in diameter to twice the depth of each notch, the forward ends of the said elongated notches being disposed over the adjacen-t notches in the lower rails when the notches in the opposite ends of the upper and lower rails are in register, and means for yieldably holding the upper frame with its notches so positioned.

2. In a jack for vehicles, a bed frame having spaced forward and rear notches therein, the rear walls of said notches being disposed at right angles to the upper face of said frame, and the forward faces of said notches inclining upwardly, a sliding frame disposed above said bed frame and being provided at its forward end with notches adapted to aline with the forward notches in said bed frame, the said notches in said sliding frame having their rear walls inclined downwardly, the rear position of said sliding frame having its under face provided with its forward notches alined with the for- 10 with an elongated recess of equal depth ward notches of said bed frame. I

with said notches, shoulders at the ends of In testimony whereof I aflix my signature said receslses, the lelilgth of saiiil rlecesshbefin presence of two witnesses.

in slight y greater t an twice t 1e engt 0 said inclined walls, rollers in the notches of MICHAEL COLLINS said bedframe, the rollers being equal to Witnesses:

twice the depth of said notches, and means HEATH K. COLE,

for yieldably holding said sliding frame JAMES A. WHIRLEDGE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. 0. 

